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By Scott Sounart, PE, Kleinfelder

Improving Your Lot’s Life


It’s easy for building owners to take their parking lots for granted, but they play a vital role in the success of the buildings they serve. A run-down parking lot creates an unattractive and unwelcoming impression that makes the entire complex seem less appealing and inviting. Perhaps more importantly, a derelict lot can also pose potentially hazardous conditions for visitors and employees and their vehicles. Not only can this undermine a business by making it’s location less attractive to potential customers, but it can also lead to costly legal liability if visitors or employees suffer personal injury or damaged vehicles. Yet in spite of the obvious hazards that can be caused by run-down or improperly maintained parking lots, many owners treat their lots as an afterthought. This is partly a perception problem. Many owners mistakenly assume that their parking lots are essentially maintenance-free and that once the lots are developed they can forget about them. While it’s true that the typical lot requires less maintenance than a parkade, proper maintenance is essential. A parking lot’s pavement under goes a great deal of wear and tear every day from multi-ton vehicles and it’s essential to have an assessment and maintenance plan to preserve the property’s aesthetics, ensure customer and tenant safety,and extend the service life of the pavement.


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